Train to Europe

[HaveADrinkOnMe]

Hello

I'm thinking ahead to next year. We've just gotten back from 10 nights in The Dordogne & we want to head back to Italy next year. We drove to France but I hate the ferry (seasick), & the long drive with an under 5.

I'm looking at a Eurocamp type holiday again but to possibly the Tuscany region. Flying is an option but would rather not as DD is a pain at the airport / plane. We could drive there, happy with stops but it's so far so, does anyone know of any suitable train routes to get us there & back, please?

Thank you

You need the Man in Seat 61.
https://www.seat61.com/

Not to put a spoiler on it... but if she's a nightmare on the plane can she cope with a long train journey? I did Germany to London with a 5&7yo and it was still quite a lot of work (but actually quicker on flying on that particular route!)

As she's under-5, the distinction between Tuscany, the Dordogne and Bognor is probably lost on her. Why not make it easy for yourself and shorten the journey by picking a closer destination?

I've just done Puglia by train from Brussels, stopping at Innsbruck and Rimini on way out and Verona and Munich on the way back. It was a bloody long way, though fab holiday. I would stick to somewhere closer - Ligurian coast or if you want Eurocamp - the Venetian Rivera or Lake Garda. Bella Italia is easily done by train. And if you can get to Venice there are a whole host of big campsite with loads of facilities along that stretch of coast e.g. Union Lido, Ca'Savio etc. I think it's Camp Fabulous that is just outside Rome? The Tuscan campsites we've been to you really needed a car.

The Paris Milan route is currently interrupted due to a landslide but hopefully should be OK next year. There is a night train from Munich to Venice.

We regularly go from Coventry to Turin in a day, our DCs are older, but they haven't always been! As pp said, the train line is currently under repair, but it really should be up and running again by next summer!

We find it a very manageable journey, the train actually goes on to Milan, but we've had enough by Turin and it's a really nice city that we've become quite fond of. We stay the night then hire a car to get to our destination the following day, but you could easily do the rest of your journey by train if you don't need a car when you get there.

If you are travelling from the UK get the Eurostar to Lille or Paris and then there are a wealth of TGVs to all the main French cities.

You may then have to pick up a local train to you exact destination. The SNCF website can help. You don't always have to book the local French trains in advance but I tend to as it is one less thing to worry about.

Top tip - for at least the journey back, book the whole thing via Eurostar, that way if you miss your connection due to delays Eurostar have to get you on the next train free of charge and/or compensate you.

Also the Paris to Turin train is great! It's a beautiful journey.